


I'm starting to sense a pattern...

by Ælfflæd (MurderRose)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alpha Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Beta Wen Jun Hui | Jun, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Multi, Omega Hong Jisoo | Joshua, Omega Yoon Jeonghan, Pack Bonding, Pack Dynamics, Scenting, adjacent to my freeze verse but not quite the same, cause apparently that's all I write, freeze - Freeform, there be sex, tw: mention of rape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:15:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22880893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MurderRose/pseuds/%C3%86lffl%C3%A6d
Summary: Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it’s enemy action.~ Ian Fleming,Goldfinger
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan, Implied Jeonghan/Joshua/others, jun & joshua & jeonghan
Comments: 9
Kudos: 102





	1. Happenstance

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! More ABO for you!
> 
> Ideas are mine, people are not. SEVENTEEN belongs to Pledis and the members are their own individuals.
> 
> Freezes are basically the inverse of heats here, confused? Drop me a line.
> 
> Enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Happenstance**  
>  in British English, _(ˈhæpənˌstæns)_  
>  NOUN  
> chance/a chance occurrence
> 
> If you say that something happened by happenstance, you mean that it happened because of certain circumstances, although it was not planned by anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd

Seungcheol's freeze just wouldn't break. 

It had started out normally, Jeonghan and Joshua wrapping him in bed with them and all the blankets, and he had relaxed at their combined body heat and his breath had stopped coming out visibly, but after 12 hours the warming up had stopped and his temperature had dropped back down in tiny incriminates.

At 24 hours, the length at which all of his freezes to date had broken, they pushed him into a scalding bath.

When Seungcheol was in the bath, he warmed up 5°C, but once he got out it dropped right back down again.

At the 36 hour mark, Jeonghan called in Boo. "Maybe we just need extra warmth," but knowing internally that it wouldn't work. He cuddled with them, settling on top of Seungcheol with a worried, "You're so cold hyung" and hugging Seungcheol to try to get a bit of heat into him. 

The three omegas had him boxed between them and the electric blankets, and for anyone else it would have been smotheringly warm. The heat was on full in his room, and there were hot water bottles and heat packs tucked all through the blankets. To no avail. His body just refused to heat up, and he shivered constantly between the three of them.

At the 48 hour mark, when Seungcheol had only warmed up one degree, his lips still blue and fingers still ice cold, Jisoo kicked Seungkwan out and said to Jeonghan, "we have to break it."

Jeonghan sighed and nodded, worried and apprehensive. It was very rare that they had to actually go old style for heats or freezes. Between the two of them, they only went traditional if they wanted to, and with the alphas, only if they had to. Up until now, they had managed to avoid it with Seungcheol, but not with the others, who tended to stress and overwork themselves into long freezes and leave themselves with no other choices.

They talked about it with the alphas of course. After they helped them through their first the modern way, they sat them down and had a discussion about what to do if they needed more, if the freeze wouldn't break. There was always the service, but it wasn't high on Jeonghan's list of favourite things.

It was explicit that whatever happened wouldn't affect their friendships or be used in jokes or anything like that.

It's not that they wanted to do it. They didn't. But they did have a schedule in two days and freezes took a full day to fully recover from, and if they left it until the 52 hour mark, they wouldn't have enough time to break it and for Seungcheol to recover from it in time to be on the broadcast. It's not like they couldn't postpone it, but it was an important one.

"Cheolie? We're going to have to break the freeze like we talked about, the traditional way?" Joshua looked Seungcheol in the eye.

"Just please I can't warm up. I hate this, Eomma said it only lasts 24 hours, why is it so cold, and we have things to do..." He complained, his teeth chattering and Jeonghan moved so he could see his face, cupping his chin between his palms to help steady him.

"Seungcheol? You have two options alright? Joshua and I have sex with you and break this or we keep trying to heat you up our usual way and wait for it to break. At 60 hours we have to try sex, and then we call a doctor. They won't give you an injection until we try the traditional way or I'd call them now. What would you prefer?" he laid out the options clearly, keeping careful eye and body contact as he spoke.

"Sex?" Seungcheol looked between Jeonghan and Joshua searchingly. "Is that okay?"

The omegas nodded at him. Joshua said "Of course, we wouldn't offer if it wasn't Cheol-ah" as Jeonghan stood up slowly.

"Joshua is gonna try to warm you up, and I'm going to get the box. I'll be back in a bit alright?" He said leaving the room as Seungcheol curled around Joshua, nodding jerkily.

The thing about freezes that Jeonghan hated was that for him, coaxing an alpha into being physically warm enough to perform intercourse always felt unwanted. No matter what type of noises they made, it felt like a form of rape. When someone isn't responding to your touches, it's very hard to make yourself keep going. This was why it was generally Joshua's job. He didn't like it any better, but he did it.

Jeonghan went via the main room to give everyone the usual heads up.  
"Guys," he said, his voice stopping the general hum of conversation as people looked up at him. "Seungcheol's freeze won't break, so we're trying the traditional method okay?"

"Will he be okay?" Seungkwan asked worriedly from where he was curled on the couch. They all looked at Jeonghan uncertainly and he was quick to soothe them.

"Don't worry, it'll break ok? If it doesn't we'll call the doctor and he'll give him an injection alright? It will be fine either way." He leaned against the back of the couch in front of him and then blushed lightly as he said, "I'm only telling you if you wanted to leave or suddenly turn the tv up very loud."

Comprehension dawned on several faces as people rapidly started texting friends. Jihoon stood to leave the room, brushing against Jeonghan trying to hide the fact that he was scenting him, on the way into his office and Jeonghan smiled.

"Are you okay hyung?" Seokmin hugged him gently.

"Worried, and tired, but mainly tired." He responded, eyes falling shut as he leaned into the embrace.  
"It's always a possibility, but it's never what we hope for," he pulled away stretching, "but I wouldn't be the group's omega if I couldn't warm a freeze now would I?" he asked rhetorically as he went to get the freeze box.

Seokmin sighed, watching him leave. It grated sometimes, the values Jeonghan put first, the way he judged himself by his ability to be a good omega above all else. He tried his best to praise his other qualities but sometimes his hyung was too stubborn.

By the time Jeonghan came through the room again, they'd all vanished, and the television was set to full volume playing some music channel. He didn't blame them.

He hated how needy he got when they resorted to the traditional way. It was always him getting, for lack of a better word, fucked, and he hated how his omega just went to heaven because it was an alpha, even as his heart sang for Joshua. Whenever they went the traditional way with one of the alphas, he and Jisoo ended up taking a day and booking a hotel afterwards. That would get him through this one.

He came back into the room and put the box down beside Joshua, leaning in to scent him as Joshua purred. Scenting was one of Jeonghan's favourite things, especially making people smell so much like him that they didn't leave a scent trail of their own. It soothed his possessive spirit and made him feel safe.

"Babe, do you want to prep yourself or do you want me to do it?" Joshua asked as Jeonghan pulled away from his scent gland.

"I'll do it. If you do it, we'll never get started" reaching for the lube, Jeonghan stripped quickly as Joshua laughed. They knew their limits.

Under Joshua's gentle but deliberate ministrations, Seungcheol was ready at the same time as Jeonghan, and taking the necessary precautions, and by this we mean condoms: of the specific alpha-in-freeze variety. Safety first, safety second, safety third!

Jeonghan sunk down slowly, alphas were bigger than he was used to, whimpering and wincing slightly as he got fully seated and turning to Jisoo for a kiss. Which he gave willingly, whispering praise into his mouth.

Once he was settled in Jeonghan, like with all alphas, instincts took over and Seungcheol flipped their positions. The show of strength had both Jeonghan and Joshua whimpering as their own instincts flared up.

Jeonghan's legs came up to wrap around Seungcheol's back as he hit a particularly good spot, and he gasped with pleasure.

It was never bad, the sex, it was instinctive and a last resort, but it was never _bad_ sex.

Seungcheol's teeth went instinctively for Jeonghan's neck and Joshua pulled him gently away from the gland, craning his neck to kiss him as Jeonghan whined. Pulling away, he whispered "Coups no, no biting"

Seungcheol adjusted Jeonghan's hips as Joshua snaked his hand down in-between them and Jeonghan moaned. Joshua purred at that and then Seungcheol did something with his hips, snapping sharply into Jeonghan and pushing the breath out of him. He shrieked a shrill "Alpha!" 

Jeonghan's hand gripped Joshua's as Seungcheol finished, settling on top of Jeonghan gently, caging him down on the bed with his arms. With his other hand, he stroked Seungcheol's arm as the alpha scented him, and Joshua murmured at them softly.

After about ten minutes, and rapid warming up of Seungcheol’s temperature, Joshua texted into the chat "all good, you can come out of hiding if you wish".

At the half hour mark, Seungcheol slipped out of Jeonghan, and asked them softly to "leave please?"

Joshua nodded, doing a quick clean up and repacking the box, "call someone else if you want, ok?" 

The alphas tend to ask them to leave after they went the traditional route. The instincts and pheromones and sheer necessity stopped it from being awkward during the event, but when they wore off, it got weird. Fast. 

For the rest of them, Jeonghan and Jisoo were their hyungs, and although Jeonghan turned heads, and had probably been the feature of many a dream in the beginning, he was quite vocal about how much he was Joshua's and knowing that, but doing what they just did, left them with a need to process and try to distance the Jeonghan they knew from the Jeonghan who just let them fuck him, and had liked it.

Jeonghan mewled, uncomfortable being empty, and Joshua shushed him gently. The box got pushed under the bed to be collected later and Joshua slipped Jeonghan’s robe on him and picked him up bridal style.

Jeonghan cuddled close, and they left the room quickly. Picking his way through the living room, Joshua made eye contact with Jun, who came closer to ask with concern if everything was ok.

"Yeah, freeze broke, we got kicked out, you know, the -"

"Joshuji if you don't make my head swim with the smell of you in the next ten seconds..." Jeonghan muttered darkly into Joshua's neck and Jun laughed.

"Don't give him a scent high now, hyung"

"Want my nest now, Shua"

"I know, I want you in it okay?" Nodding at a smiling Jun, they went into their bedroom. Nobody was allowed in here. It was Jeonghan and Joshua's nest. Smelled solely of them. They both breathed a sigh of relief as Joshua locked the door and then gently put Jeonghan on the bed.

They could hear murmurs from outside, but they ignored them in favour of an intense, slightly desperate, scenting session. Jeonghan pulled Joshua's head down to nuzzle against his scent gland. The pure unadulterated scent instantly bringing comfort to his omega. Joshua let him spread his own scent all over him, taking comfort from the intimacy of the gesture and the content notes to Jeonghan’s scent.

Reversing their positions, Joshua mouthed at Jeonghan's scent gland, licking over it a few times as if to taste him. He couldn’t bear the thought of Jeonghan leaving their room without being drenched in his scent. It’s such a primal need, to want Jeonghan to smell like him for days, especially after that.

When Joshua's sure he’s scented Jeonghan thoroughly he pulls back, dropping his head on the pillow. The two of them looked dazed. Jeonghan's head swam and he whined. Joshua cooed at him, his own head also swimming slightly.

They took a 30 minute cat nap, and woke up feeling rested. Jeonghan was a little achy but nothing an ibuprofen wouldn't cure.

"I'm going to take a shower, do you want to check on Coups?" Jeonghan queried rolling out of bed slowly, pulling on his fluffiest robe and grabbing his bathroom bag.

Jisoo opened his eyes looking up at his mate. "If he'll let me. I'll put on some tea?"

"You'll be fine" Jeonghan called breezily as he left the room after his eyes lit up at the mention of tea.

Jisoo was tempted to go back to sleep but he knew it was a bad idea. He did need to check on Seungcheol. Otherwise Jeonghan would feel he needed to and from past experience, that wasn’t the... best plan.

Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he stretched and sat up. Jeonghan had bypassed the sitting room and gone directly to the bathroom, but he’d have to cross it to get to Coups. Uh.

Deciding to just get it over with, he stepped into the living room asking “Anyone heard from Seungcheol?”

There was an awkward silence, and then, a quiet “not since…” from Chan.

“Thanks Chan-ah. I’m just gonna check on him. Jeonghan-ah is in the shower, you’ll have to use the other bathroom if you want it.” Joshua dragged his hand over his face and covered a yawn.

Picking his way through the members, he knocked on Seungcheol’s door and pushed it open softly. “Hey, Cheol-ah?”

“Joshua?”

“Yeah it’s me, how are you?” he stepped inside and closed the door behind him gently.

“Are you mad?” Seungcheol was curled on the bed, back to the door.

Joshua held back a sigh. Every single time. It made sense, and he understood why the alpha members asked this, but it was annoying. Would anything happen if Jeonghan and Joshua weren’t 100% on board? No. The service existed for this exact reason.

“No, I’m not mad at you. Neither is Jeonghan. Do you think he’d do anything he didn’t want to do in the bedroom? Really? Do you think I’d let him?” Joshua stayed by the door.

“No! I didn’t mean, I meant…” Seungcheol turned over and Joshua smothered a smile.

“Meant what?”

“Shuaaaa” Seungcheol groaned and threw his arm over his eyes.

Joshua smiled. “Meant what, Coups?”

“Don’t make me say it”

“Say what?” Joshua smirked. He could do this all day.

“Joshuaaa” Seungcheol whined and Joshua rolled his eyes.

“Why would I be mad Cheollie?”

Seungcheol paused, and then whispered, “...cause he’s yours?”

Joshua laughed. “Mine? Jeonghan? Belonging to anyone? Really?”

“Uh, you know what I mean Shua” Seungcheol was talking to the pillow now.

“Yeah, some stupid sort of instinct that says if you fuck someone, they’re yours. But you know better than that.” Joshua stepped slowly over to the bed, and when Seungcheol didn’t protest, sat down on the edge.

Seungcheol got a whiff of Joshua and then, “Jeonghan is a possessive bastard isn’t he?

Joshua bent over laughing at that, “sure, that works”

A little bit later, Joshua turned to Seungcheol, “You’re going to be ok? Got it all sorted out?”

“It’s weird”

“Yeah, it’s weird. But it worked, hey.”

“Jeonghan is so strong”

“Yeah, he is. But that doesn’t mean that the Jeonghan from earlier isn’t still him. Just a different part, right?”

“Yeah, I understand.”

“You feel better?”

“Yeah.”

“Right. Once Jeonghan is out of the shower, go take one, please. And show your face so everyone knows we didn’t murder you. Thanks.” Joshua patted Seungcheol on the back a few times and then stood.

“I have to make tea. Want any?”

“No, you go ahead.”

“Right, if you need to talk to either of us, please do. And if you want to talk but not to us, Woozi and Wonwoo can probably relate to what you're feeling right now.”

“Thanks Shua.”

“Go take that shower.” Joshua called back, closing the door behind him.

Ignoring the looks, Joshua leaned back against it for a few moments, eyes closed. That went better than it could have.

'Ok.' Joshua thought, pushing off the door, 'Tea.'


	2. Coincidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Coincidence**  
>  in British English, _(kəʊˈɪnsɪdəns)_  
>  NOUN  
> a chance occurrence of events remarkable either for being simultaneous or for apparently being connected  
> the fact, condition, or state of coinciding
> 
> A coincidence is when two or more similar or related events occur at the same time by chance and without any planning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd

It had started out normally, Jeonghan and Joshua wrapping Seungcheol in bed with them and _all_ the blankets, and he had relaxed at the body heat and his breath had stopped coming out visibly, but after 12 hours the warming up stopped and his temperature dropped back down in tiny incriminates.

At 24 hours, Jeonghan called Seungkwan in. "Maybe we just need extra warmth," but knowing internally that it wouldn't work. He cuddled with them, settling on top of Seungcheol with a worried, "You're so cold hyung".

At the 36 hour mark, they pushed Seungcheol into a scalding bath. When he was in the bath, he warmed up 5°C, but once he got out it dropped right back down.

The three omegas had Seungcheol boxed between them and the electric blankets, and for anyone else it would have been smotheringly warm. For the omegas it was suffocatingly warm. The heat was on full in his room, and there were hot water bottles and heat packs tucked all through the blankets. To no avail. His body just refused to heat up, and he shivered constantly between the three of them.

After 48 hours, when Seungcheol had only warmed up one degree, his lips still blue and fingers ice cold, Jisoo said to Jeonghan, "we have to break it"

Jeonghan sighed and nodded, worried and apprehensive. It was very rare that they had to actually go old style for heats or freezes. They only went traditional if they had to and his would be the second time they’d had to do this with Seungcheol. The second time in a _row_.

It's not that they wanted to do it. Of course they wanted it to break: they did have a schedule in two days and freezes took a full day to fully recover from, and if they left it until the 60 hour mark, they wouldn't have enough time to break it and for Seungcheol to recover from it in time. Idol life sucked sometimes.

"Cheolie? We're going to have to break the freeze the traditional way?" Jeonghan looked Seungcheol in the eye.

"Just please, I can't, I can't warm up, I I I hate this," He complained, shivering violently and Joshua tilted his head so he could see his face.

"Seungcheol? You know you have two options alright? Jeonghan and I have sex with you, like we did last time, and hopefully that'll break this or we keep trying to heat you up the usual way and wait for it to break. At 60 hours we have to try sex, and then if it gets to 80 we call a doctor. They won't give you an injection until we try the traditional way or I'd call them now. What would you prefer?" he laid out the options clearly, keeping careful eye and body contact as he spoke.

"Now?" Seungcheol looked between Jeonghan and Joshua pleadingly. "It hurts."

The omegas nodded at him and Jeonghan stood up slowly, “Right, so Joshua is gonna try warm you up, and I'm going to get the box. I'll be back in a bit alright?" He said leaving the room as Joshua curled around Seungcheol.

Jeonghan led Seungkwan out into the main room and gave everyone the usual heads up.  
"Guys," he said, raising his voice to be heard above the film and people looked up at him. "Seungcheol's freeze won't break, so we're trying the traditional method okay?"

"Will he be okay?" Woozi asked worriedly from where he was in front of his laptop. They all looked at Jeonghan uncertainly and he was quick to soothe them.

"Don't worry, it'll break ok? If it doesn't we'll call the doctor and he'll give him an injection alright? It will be fine either way." He leaned against the wall and then when nobody made any movement towards comprehension or planning he sighed, "If you wanted to go for a trip to the shops for a midnight feast, I’ll pay? Just bring us back something and take your time?”

Comprehension dawned on several faces and people moved to get their shoes, Jun coming up to hug Jeonghan tightly. “Thanks for everything, hyung”

“Love you too Junnie” Jeonghan handed over his card and code and headed into the bathroom to collect the box.

When Jeonghan came through the room again, they'd all vanished, and the television was set to full volume playing some music channel. He didn't blame them.

Jeonghan hated how he got when they resorted to the traditional way. 

He came back into the room and put the box down beside Joshua, who pulled him in to scent him. He pulled back and asked quietly if Jeonghan wanted to prep himself and Jeonghan nodded, letting Joshua get on with Seungcheol, who was still mainly shivering.

Jeonghan sunk down slowly, whimpering and wincing slightly as he was fully seated and turning to Jisoo for a kiss. Which he gave, rubbing his lower back soothingly.

Once he was settled in Jeonghan, instincts took over and Seungcheol flipped their positions.   
Jeonghan's legs came up to wrap around Seungcheol's back as he hit a particularly good spot, and his mouth fell open in a silent cry. Everything amped from 0 to 100 in seconds.

Instincts were good for something. Knowing where to hit.

Seungcheol's teeth went instinctively for Jeonghan's neck and again Joshua pulled him gently away from the gland, licking into Seungcheol’s mouth to distract him as Jeonghan whined. Pulling away, he whispered "No biting"

Seungcheol adjusted Jeonghan's hips as Joshua snaked his hand down to give Jeonghan some attention. Seungcheol did something and Jeonghan shrieked, a shrill "Al _pha_!" 

Jeonghan's hand gripped Joshua's as Seungcheol finished. He twisted them so that Jeonghan was sitting in his lap, and Jeonghan cuddled into him thankfully. Seungcheol scented Jeonghan and Joshua petted the two of them as they came down from their highs.

After about ten minutes, and the rapid warming up of Seungcheol’s temperature, Joshua texted into the chat "all good, you can come back".

After about thirty minutes, Seungcheol slipped out of Jeonghan, asking them softly to "leave please?"

They packed up quickly, and then they made the short trip to their nest in complete silence. Once they got into bed, they scented, but fell asleep before they could even talk. They were shattered.

They woke up the next morning, still twinned around each other, and scented lazily for about an hour.

“Shua, shower?” Jeonghan whispered into his skin and Joshua nodded pushing him up and out ahead of him.

They spent ages in the shower, giggling and kissing, and then while Jeonghan made breakfast, Joshua went to check on Seungcheol.

“Everything ok, Coups?”

“Yeah, I’m good. You two?”

“We’re okay. We’re heading out to a hotel now, so if you need anything, Jun is still here.” Joshua was halfway through the door, but turned back at Seungcheol's response.

“Oh, I forgot you did that. When did you make the reservation?”

“Jeonghan did it when he went to get the box last night. We’ll leave you breakfast?”

“Please” Seungcheol nodded from his knot of blankets on the bed.

“Alright, I'll leave it in the fridge. Coups?”

“Yeah?”

“Talk to someone please. You’re clearly stressed, and it’s not healthy. Please, if you won’t talk to me or Han, talk to the other members, or the CEO, or your family, just someone please.”

“Okay Shua. I will, I promise”

At that, Joshua nodded to himself and closed the door gently behind him. He had a hotel to get to and a mate to pamper.


	3. Enemy Action?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Enemy Action**  
>  in British English, _(ˈɛnəmɪ ˈækʃən)_  
>  NOUN  
> offensive military action by your military enemy
> 
> _The ship sustained massive damage as a result of enemy action._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unbeta'd
> 
> I'm happy with this thus far, and even though I wasn't planning on posting this week, here you go!
> 
> Enjoy!

It had started out normally, Jeonghan and Joshua wrapping him in bed with them and all the blankets, and he had relaxed at the body heat and his breath had stopped coming out visibly, but after 12 hours the warming up stopped and his temperature dropped back down in tiny incriminates.

At 24 hours, they pushed him into a scalding bath. When he was in the bath, he warmed up 5°C. He came out of the bath to Seungkwan, Joshua and Jeonghan and all the electric blankets. But, he lost 5°C within moments.

At the 36 hour mark, they brought in a portable heater. The room was like a furnace. 

It made no difference.

At the 48 hour mark, when Seungcheol had only warmed up one degree, his lips still blue and fingers ice cold, Jisoo kicked Seungkwan out and said to Jeonghan, "we have to break it"

Jeonghan sighed and nodded, worried and apprehensive. This would be the third time they’d had to break it traditionally. The third time in a row. 

“Cheol? We need to break this, we can go for 60 hours or we can try to break it now?” Jeonghan asked, looking Seungcheol in the eyes.

“Now? It’s so so _so_ cold” the alpha chattered, shivering back into Joshua's embrace, desperately seeking warmth.

“OK. Seungcheol, you’re ok with sex like the last time we had to do this, right?” Jeonghan asked, tired already.

“Yeah, just make it stop please”

“Ok. Shua…” Jeonghan turned to his mate, a little helplessly, and Joshua reached for his hand, rubbing his thumb along the back of it reassuringly.

“Jeonghan is going to go get some things, and I’ll try to keep you warm until he gets back ok?”

Seungcheol shivered and nodded, and Jeonghan slipped from the blanket cocoon to go get the freeze box and give the members a heads up.

Jeonghan stepped into the living room, hiding a yawn behind his hand. Mingyu was the first to notice him and asked, “Did it break? This is starting to be a bit of a pattern”

Jeonghan shook his head. “No, we’re gonna try to break it traditionally now. We technically could give it another 12 hours, but he’s icy cold. And we’re exhausted.” The freeze had started just after a concert, most likely just at the end of it. Two days ago.

Nobody did anything. Dino muttered to Vernon that maybe Seungcheol liked it.

Jeonghan yawned again, scent souring slightly as he looked over at them, frowning, and then straightened. “Look, we could let it go til 60 but we’ll have to have sex eventually before they’ll consider the injection, so I’d prefer to do it before one of us passes out. Which is highly likely. You guys got proper sleep we haven’t. So unless you want to take over or come help...”

At that invitation, people moved. Jeonghan shook his head in amusement and went to the bathroom to retrieve the freeze box. Living room was nearly empty on his way back, Soonyoung gave him a smile from where he was watching the very loud tv, and then Jeonghan went back into the bedroom.

He handed the things to Joshua and prepped himself.

Joshua leaned over to kiss him slowly. “Hey, Han, slow down, baby”

Jeonghan whimpered a little at that, and Joshua moved away from Seungcheol for a minute, “Just hold on a second Coups ok?”

Joshua gathered Jeonghan close to him and kissed him slowly again. “Hey, relax for me baby.” He reached for the lube, and checked that Jeonghan hadn’t skimped, and then, “Jeonghan, that’s not enough, baby, hey, just lean into me, yeah like that”

Jeonghan sagged against Joshua, mouthing at his scent gland softly. Joshua stretched him properly, to the sound of Seungcheol’s teeth chattering in the background.

“There we go.” Joshua wiped his fingers off and then cupped Jeonghan’s face in his hands, kissing him softly. “Are you okay to do this? You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

“I’m ok.” Jeonghan chased his lips, “Let’s just do it”

“Ok. Ok.” Joshua searched his eyes, and nodded, “Ok baby.”

It took a long time for Jeonghan to get seated onto Seungcheol, whimpering and reaching for kisses the entire way. Joshua gave them willingly, stroking his back and whispering praise.

Once settled, Seungcheol’s instincts took over and Jeonghan was crying, his teeth clenched and eyes focused on a spot on the ceiling.

“Hannie?”

Jeonghan didn’t respond, and Joshua pushed at Seungcheol. “Seungcheol, stop. Something’s wrong with Jeonghan.”

Seungcheol stopped immediately, leaning down to scent the omega, of course, his instincts were in overdrive. He pulled back rapidly.

There were tears streaming down Jeonghan’s face as gently Seungcheol pulled out.

Jeonghan rolled over into the fetal position and started gasping for breath. Reaching for Joshua desperately.

Joshua pulled him against his chest, “baby it’s okay, I have you, it’s going to be fine, just breathe for me now,” completely bewildered, and scared.

Someone knocked on the door, “Hey its me”, Hoshi said loudly, “Is everything alright? I’m smelling fear”

“Come in” Joshua called back, cradling Jeonghan close, as they tried to slow his breathing.

“Hyungs???” Hoshi was alarmed, and Joshua beckoned him closer.

“Call the doctor for Seungcheol please, or the service, I don’t know if they’ll count this as having tried the traditional method. If you could help him get dressed and I don’t know all pile on him until the doctor comes? I need to get Hannie into our nest?” Jeonghan had stuck his face into Joshua’s neck and was trying to breathe in as much of Joshua as he possibly could.

Joshua cradled him close and moved them as quickly as possible to their nest. Jeonghan was whispering something.

“What’s that love?”

“Yours yours yours yours yours” each word punctuated by a lick or a nibble to Joshua’s mating mark.

“Yes, of course you’re mine baby, all mine, only mine”

A few moments passed, Joshua whispering reassurances and Jeonghan nuzzling into their mark, Jeonghan calmed down enough to stop crying. Joshua pulled back a little to look him in the eyes.

“What was that baby?”

Jeonghan hid his head back into Joshua’s shoulder and Joshua hummed, “Are you hurt?”

“No” Jeonghan whispered and Joshua relaxed a tiny bit.

“Ok, are you in pain?”

“No”

“Ill?”

“No”

“Uncomfortable?”

“Chan said maybe Cheol likes it,” Joshua had to strain to hear the words.

“Oh?”

“And I’m tired. We haven't had an easy freeze with Seungcheol in a year, and everytime he tries to bite me, Joshua I’m yours~” he ended with a whine and Joshua held him impossibly close.

“We’ll talk to him. And book the service for his next freeze.”

“Yeah?”

“Of course. I told you, the minute you stop feeling comfortable about this, that’s the minute we stop doing it.”

“Yours”

Joshua smiled, clearly Jeonghan was still slightly in an omega headspace. “Want me to scent you?”

“Yessss” came the happy hiss.

After a little while, when they were both much more settled, and Jeonghan had fully surfaced and stopped saying ‘yours’ every two seconds, there was a knock on the door.

Jeonghan didn’t move from where he was curled on top of Joshua, but his mumbled ‘let them in’ from where his face was squished on Joshua’s collar bone was enough for Joshua to call out a “it’s open”.

Jun opened the door, but stayed respectfully on the other side of the threshold. “Doctor just gave Seungcheol the shot, and said that it counted as trying. Do you want a consultation before he leaves?”

“No” Jeonghan was pretty clear but Joshua said at the same time “maybe that would be good?”

“No.”

“You were crying baby”

“I’m fine. Nothing’s sore. It was emotional.”

“If you’re 100% sure?”

“I am. My body remember?”

“Of course it is, ok ok.” Joshua looked up at Jun, “We’re good, but make sure Cheol makes an appointment with him for a few days from now? His past three freezes have been the same.”

Jun nodded, “Yeah, Mingyu was pretty insistent about that. I think his exact words were “you’ll either freeze to death or stress yourself to death. Make an appointment you absolute fool. Hyung.” We’re going to order food, we’ll get you two something?”

“Yeah, we have that hotel reservation for tomorrow, so we might just sleep-” Jeonghan started but Jun shook his head.

“Hyungs, the others are scared, I’m scared and I can see that you’re alright. Could you postpone ‘til the day after? Just, all we could smell when we came back was your fear, Jeonghan, and there was a doctor, and Soonyoung-ah was completely white, and Seungcheol was shaking and every so often we could hear crying…” Jun trailed off, looking away and Jeonghan looked at Joshua.

“Ok, we’ll postpone. Probably better to be in the nest now anyway…” Joshua said, nodding and Jeonghan huffed quietly into his collarbone.

Jun looked so relieved that Jeonghan couldn't be mad at either of them. "Thank you hyung, really, thank you. Ok, I'll leave you be. I'll say when the food gets here ok??"

"Sure. Thanks Jun"


	4. If it's broke... Fix it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alternate chapter title:
> 
> If it looks like a pack, acts like a pack, and smells like a pack, then it probably is a pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Random things you might need to know:  
> A Dam is an omega parent, male or female.   
> Eomma is a female beta parent (Seungcheol's mother).
> 
> Joshua's mating mark is on his neck, because as previously mentioned, Jeonghan is possessive af.  
> Jeonghan's mating mark is on his hip, because Joshua put it there.
> 
> This fic's omegas are Jeonghan, Joshua and Seungkwan  
> Betas: Jun, Hoshi, Seokmin and The8  
> Alphas: Seungcheol, Wonwoo, Woozi, Mingyu, Vernon and Dino.

“Don’t speak for me, Shua” Jeonghan mumbled into Joshua’s collarbone after Jun closed the door and Joshua winced.

“Sorry, I’m sorry. Just, Jun, the members…” he apologised, stroking Jeonghan’s back softly.

“Yeah, I get it, I’m not mad, just… after earlier. I know I wasn’t all myself, I was too omega, I’m back now,” Joshua could feel the words more than hear them really. He rolled them over a little, so he could see Jeonghan’s face a little better.

“It’s ok, that’s normal, you’re always like that after freezes, baby,”

“I hate it,” Jeonghan admitted quietly and Joshua paused. He hated it? Hated omega space or hated the freezes? If he hated it then why hadn’t he said? 

“Hannie?”

“I hate how I get when I’m with an alpha. All submissive and needy and alpha centric, even when you’re right there!” Jeonghan growled softly, “You're my mate. I’m your mate. I shouldn’t even be swayed by anyone else, yet every single time, all they have to do is look at me and everything in me sings, and I feel so weak, and so bad, so so bad.” He wouldn’t look at Joshua, staring at his chin, and Joshua tangled his fingers with Jeonghan’s. “I’m yours Joshua. Why does my body refuse to accept that?”

“I didn’t know any of that Jeonghan-ah. You should have said something earlier, you don’t have to stress about that on your own, you know?” Joshua tried for comfort, and Jeonghan pulled away, scrambling backwards out of the bed. Joshua stared at him, confused. “Jeonghan?”

“Why aren’t you mad at me?” Jeonghan reeked of insecurity and confusion. “Your body doesn’t do that. Your head doesn’t whisper when they’re in freeze!” His voice was loud now, “You just love me and that’s enough, why isn’t it enough?” He shouted, hands up in his hair, backed up against the wall.

Joshua took his time to process what Jeonghan was saying, sitting up at the edge of the bed and focusing on his mate. His worried, uncomfortable, scared mate. All conversation outside their nest had shut off; listening, Joshua presumed. 

“Is that why you couldn’t stop saying ‘I’m yours’ earlier?” Joshua asked softly and Jeonghan nodded. 

Right. Joshua didn’t really understand, he had no shared experience, he hadn’t realised how Jeonghan had felt…

“I’m sorry you feel this way, Jeonghan-ah,” Joshua stretched out his hand towards his mate, “I don’t know why you feel like that, I don’t have the answers. But we can do some research together alright? Maybe one of our dams knows or maybe the internet. I’m sure there’s not anything wrong with you.” 

Jeonghan took a wary step forward, but halted, hands closed protectively over where Joshua’s mark lay on his hip.

“I know you’re mine baby. You have my mark, I have yours, I’ve never doubted that.” Joshua soothed, low and intimate and Jeonghan took the remaining few steps into Joshua’s arms. Joshua held him tight, moving him so he was in his lap, and Jeonghan started to cry again. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” Jeonghan repeated over and over and Joshua shushed him gently.

“It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. You haven’t done anything wrong, I love you so much baby, we’ll figure it out.”

When they eventually showed their faces the next morning, they were inseparable. Joshua was feeling very protective, and bared his teeth at anyone attempting to touch or scent either of them, ushering Jeonghan into a chair and getting breakfast as fast as he possibly could.

“Hyung?” Jun asked tentatively, the others silently nominating him as their spokesperson: generally if either of those two omegas got protective and territorial, it was only Jun that they wouldn’t snap at. He was close to them, and being a beta helped his case.

“This is why we tend to take a day in a hotel, Junnie.” Jeonghan explained quietly, before pushing away Joshua when he went to feed him, with a firm, “Shua, I’m fine, I can do it myself.” Before leaning in, uncaring of any audience they may have, and licking at his mating mark.

Joshua grumbled but let him be, turning to Soonyoung and asking, “How’s Seungcheol?”

It was Mingyu that answered, “He’s kind of in shock. Freeze is over, but it was so abrupt after the injection, and he’s worried sick about you two, he’s worried he hurt you hyung, and then not seeing you and smelling fear all evening...”

Jeonghan moved as if to go and check on him, but Joshua looked at him, hand on his wrist, “Hannie.” 

“Shua. I’m just going to make sure he knows I’m alright. It’s okay. Promise.”

In answer, Joshua let go of his wrist and nodded slightly, not exactly happy but a little more in control of his instincts. Jeonghan slipped out of the kitchen.

While he was gone, Jun asked if Jeonghan was ok, and Joshua shrugged a little.

“He’s fine, he just… we have some things we need to figure out. And he’s going to book everyone in with the service for the foreseeable future. I’m sure you all will be understanding.” Joshua smiled. Omegas were not to be messed with when it came to protecting their mates or children. It was not a nice smile.

Everyone nodded quickly. "Whatever you need."

The vast majority of idol groups subscribed to a service for mating cycles, that Seventeen didn’t wasn’t exactly weird. It was remarkable, certainly. Jeonghan hadn’t been super on board in the early days with having strange omega scents on his group members, they’d tried, and the few times that members had used the service Jeonghan had been weirdly territorial when they’d come home. After that, they’d decided, after lots of talking, to take care of freezes in-house. Jeonghan and Mingyu both came from pack environments, and it had been clear to both -

Oh. Joshua paused, spoon of cereal half-way to his mouth. Pack. Maybe that was what was going on with Jeonghan’s body. Pack. Joshua didn’t know everything about packs, his parents weren’t part of one, but as far as he knew, they functioned as a pack, but maybe they needed to formalise that? Maybe that would settle everything? 

Before Joshua could go any further with that thought, Jeonghan came back followed by a sheepish Seungcheol. Joshua took one look at him and sighed. Not this again.

“Joshua, Seungcheol wants to apologise. He thinks you’re mad.” ah shit. Jeonghan was pissed off. This is why Joshua was the one to check in with their alphas after freezes.

“Seungcheol-ah, we’ve talked about this. I’m not mad, Jeonghan is his own person, we only do what we’re both comfortable with etcetera. And right now, we’re hitting the breaks on freeze help for a bit, it’s the service from now on until we’ve all talked and figured everything out.” Joshua sighed, and Jeonghan draped himself over Joshua’s shoulders, nuzzling into his mating mark, uncaring, or potentially revelling in the fact that it made people uncomfortable, it was such an intimate action, but nobody could bring their eyes away from it. Joshua rolled his eyes. This morning was a rollercoaster of emotions.

Seungcheol stared a bit, mouth opening and closing and opening and closing, before he nodded a little and said “ok” in a soft, quiet voice.

Later, in their nest, tangled on their bed, Joshua brought up his thoughts as Jeonghan played with his hair. “Jeonghannie? Do you think that you’re feeling the way you feel because of something to do with a pack?”

Jeonghan’s hands paused in his hair, “Pack?”

“You remember how we started helping the alphas with their freezes?”

“Yeah?” Jeonghan said slowly, resumed messing with his hair.

“And how both you and Mingyu were on board before the rest of us because you both come from pack backgrounds?”

“Yeah, its normal for omegas to help out alphas and vice versa with no commitment or anything as long as they’re friends or in the same pack”

“Yeah…” Joshua hesitated, how to frame this… “Hear me out Han. Maybe because we’ve been doing it for so long, even though we’re not pack, it’s only our alphas that you do it with right?” Joshua tilted his head back to see Jeonghan’s face. He nodded, a questioning expression on his face. “Ok, so maybe your body is more pack-centric than mine, but also because I just help, I don’t have sex with them, maybe you’re getting signals that I’m not getting. But my point here,” he sped up, Jeonghan’s hand had tightened in his hair, “is that maybe we need to form an actual pack. Maybe we’re all feeling similar things, and you’re only noticing them or voicing them? Maybe Mingyu feels the same too?”

  
  


Jeonghan didn’t say anything for a while, thinking, and finally coming out with a guarded, “But you’re my mate.”

“I know, that’s not going to change right? Not all packs are inter-mated right? I’m pretty sure Seungcheol-ah’s eldest brother is in a friend pack or something like that. They share freezes and stuff but they’re not romantic?” Joshua was quick to reassure and Jeonghan hummed.

“Maybe… Would it not be selfish? To ask for a pack when it’s only my body that needs it?”

“No?” Joshua twisted so he was sitting up in front of Jeonghan, “I mean, we’re pretty much a pack anyway right? And our betas would really benefit from it wouldn’t they? And it’s probably not just your body that wants it. We’d need to talk about it and do some research…”

“Lets research it, I don’t like doubting us, and -” Joshua cut Jeonghan off, darting in and kissing him firmly.

“Don’t doubt us. We’ll figure it out.”

Mingyu and Jeonghan’s dams were very helpful. They could both relate to how Jeonghan felt, saying that it was characteristic of an unfinalised pack bond and that it would go away, or at the very least, reduce a lot, once they formalised and finalised the bond between all thirteen of them. One of the alphas in Mingyu’s birth pack said that Seungcheol worsening freezes might also be a symptom of the incomplete pack bond, she had gone through something very similar before they’d properly pack bonded. 

Seventeen as a whole talked about it a lot. As a group, as pairs, as dynamic groups, as units, as age lines… They needed to make sure that bonding as a pack, something that idol groups tended not to do, was something that was right for them.

Then they talked to management.

About two months after  _ The Incident _ , they were ready, as a group, to form a, mostly platonic, pack bond. In the interim, all the freezes had been outsourced, and every single time, Jeonghan had practically abducted the alpha on their return, scenting them obsessively before letting them go, embarrassed and apologising. Seungkwan’s heat had also been outsourced. Which had been fun. Not only had Jeonghan been both possessive and guilty when he came back, but the alphas as a whole had been uncomfortable and growly. 

They were ready for a pack bond.

It was unreal how much of a difference being bonded as a pack made. At the same time, nothing really changed. They didn’t really act any different, but they all felt different.

As an idol group, they worked better, if that was possible, they couldn’t read each other’s minds but it looked like they could.

For the betas, Jun and Seokmin especially, it was great. They felt more connected than they had before, more… involved, even though the alphas and omegas hadn’t excluded them, they had their heats or freezes, but betas didn’t get those. So they also didn’t get what came with them. Having the bond made more of a difference to them than to the others really. An added sense of security, a reassurance when they wondered how useful they were, or doubted themselves.

For the alphas, it was freeing. Being bonded reduced the amount of stress a freeze put on your body, even if it wasn’t a mate bond. That on top of the security and love and comfort that they got through the bond 24/7? It was amazing.

It was similar for the omegas. Seungkwan complained that Jeonghan knew when he was going into heat before he even knew, but that was an expected side effect, Jeonghan was particularly tuned into the bond, and knew what was going on with everyone immediately. He loved it.

For Jeonghan and Joshua though, it was brilliant. Jeonghan’s body didn’t react as strongly to the alphas freezing anymore, and when it did react, he knew why and how, and Joshua could tap into their bond to feel it. Jeonghan didn’t feel guilty for what he felt and Joshua wasn’t worried about him as much. He was still his mate, he was always going to be worried about him.

It was one of the best decisions the group had ever made, and the side effect of being the only active KPOP group to be a bonded pack didn’t hurt. They got hounded by the press a lot less: everyone understood that if you harmed a bonded pack, their omegas would be well within their rights to kill you, and nobody wanted to test that theory. The amount of online thirsting cooled down a little bit too: they hadn’t said if their bond was romantic or platonic, and again, omegas were terrifying when they were angry. And it was super enjoyable to make interviewers squirm. They thoroughly enjoyed that benefit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all folks!  
> Thanks for coming on this journey, no matter how repetetive it was, with me! 
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed it, let me know below!  
> Rose x

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!  
> Let me know what you thought in the comments below!
> 
> Rose x
> 
> [Come talk to me on Twitter](https://twitter.com/RoseEnDiamant)


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